Chasing Birds
by WhiteSword6621
Summary: Jack and Jen are back! This time...there's another surprise! And another treasure to go after!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. It belongs to Disney.  
  
Thanks to Mystery Gyrl, who gave me this chapter's idea!  
  
Quick summary – It helps if you've read the previous two stories, 'Jack's Captives' and 'Of Relatives and Kidnapping'. But quickly, Jack kidnaps a girl (and her sister, who is no longer relevant) and rescues her from being married to Governor Swann. Then they fall in love, they find one of Jack's relatives with a grudge and they get married. Then, they kidnap Charlie (Will and Elizabeth's 1 year old son) and sail off. Now, it's the third and final story!  
  
No one believed that Jack was paternal at all. Even he doubted his abilities, and he believed he could do anything! When Gibbs would tease Jack at the bar about someday having little ones running around, the other crewmembers (and anyone who overheard, really) would snort into the ale and laugh. So everyone though it really odd when Jack and Jen brought aboard Charlie, who everyone recognized as 'the whelp's kid'. Jack seemed delighted to have the kid on board. Charlie stood at the helm with Jack, ate every meal sitting on his lap or next to him, and even would occasionally get a sip of Jack's rum. Yes, everyone was shocked. Jen thought it was adorable. And it was. Until...the rocky shores of Tortuga slid into view.  
  
Let's go back...shall we?  
  
FLASH BACK  
  
Jack swaggered along triumphantly through the streets of Tortuga like a victorious king from battle.  
  
"Ah, Tortuga. Charlie, you payin' attention, mate?" Suddenly, Jen spoke up from behind.  
  
"Wait...Charlie isn't up with you?" She asked, suddenly panicking. Jack whipped around, disbelief on his face.  
  
"I thought you had him!" Jack yelped. Jen's face suddenly tensed.  
  
"What are we going to do? We just LOST a child in Tortuga!" She shrieked. Jack covered her mouth with his hand as she continued to shriek in horror. Jack thought it over in his head.  
  
"Think Will'll know the difference if we just give him a new kid?" He asked hopefully. Jen glared at him over his hand. Jack sighed and Jen removed his hand.  
  
"All I can say is, we better find him soon on Will is going to quickly embrace the ways of pirate dueling." Jen advised.  
  
"Ah. You're right. We'll split up." They immediately ran in opposite directions, calling out the child's name. Jen ran through the streets and then down the beaches, searching even the Pearl. Jack ran along a different set of streets, and then wandered into a few pubs, too worried to drink. And then he saw Charlie, waddling along merrily, not looking at all lost or scared. In fact, he looked downright...merry! Before Jack could grab him, he was snatched up by a thin, bony, whore who had been watching with moonlit eyes. Jack grimaced and headed over.  
  
"Scuse me! That lovely little parcel you're holding, is mine, actually. I'll be needing it back." Jack said silkily, gesturing to Charlie, who seemed quite content. The woman laughed throatily, trying to be flirtatious, and Jack winced.  
  
"You must be new." He murmured. She leaned in.  
  
"What? Couldn't catch that." She asked, curious. Jack grinned and shook his head.  
  
"Was nothing. Now, if you'll just give me the boy," Jack said, reaching for Charlie. The woman's eyes, which had been heavily outlined, shrank to slits.  
  
"Now, Mr. Sparrow," She began. Jack leaned back and grinned.  
  
"Ah, so you've heard of me!" He said with obvious delight. The woman grinned, revealing two missing teeth.  
  
"Course I have! Everyone's 'eard of the infamous Jack Sparrow!" She purred, moving closer. Jack was still grinning, but came to his senses and reached for Charlie. The woman shielded Charlie with her body.  
  
"Now, Cap'n Sparrow, I coulda' been savin' this boy from near death." She cautioned, even though Charlie was nowhere near any of the dangerous creatures on the island. "You better start lookin' out for you and yours. Still, for savin' the boy, I need a payment. A kiss would do the trick." She said coyly, gently placing Charlie in Jack's arms and leaning closer. Jack grinned his cat-ish grin and leaned forward. Suddenly, Jen was standing between them.  
  
"Sorry," She stated firmly, "He's spoken for." The woman looked disgruntled and backed off as Jen glared fit to kill. As the whore faded into the scenery, Jen turned her wrath on Jack.  
  
"And you! What kind of husband are you? Letting her carry on like that!" Jen raged. Jack gently kissed Jen on the lips.  
  
"Just trying to get Charlie back. Whatever it takes, luv." He assured her. Jen smiled and took Jack's hand.  
  
"Just make sure it doesn't happen again." Jen cautioned. The three made their way back to the Black Pearl and fell asleep in the same bed, Charlie lying in between the two. Charlie lay awake as Jack and Jen slept around him. He pulled Jen's arm over his waist, and Jack's over his upper body, and turned to face Jack.  
  
"Rweally bad eggs!" He muttered tiredly, and then promptly fell asleep.  
  
HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED IT! THIS WAS A FLASHBACK, REAL STORY COMING SOON! 


	2. Invasion

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. It belongs to Disney.  
  
A thick fog had settled around the Pearl by midday. Jack Sparrow was at the helm, his dark eyes staring into the fog. He could just make out the masts of another ship that was closing in. Jack grinned and kept the Pearl at the same slow, steady pace. He didn't need to outrun this ship. In fact, he had slowed down on purpose. The other ship, from what he could tell, was ordinary enough. It wasn't a navy ship at least. It had white sails true enough, but the tell tale pirate flag hung limply from the top mast. Jack glanced up. Although he could barely see through the fog, he was happy to note his own pirate flag was waving grandly. Jack patted the helm in content, pleased to be doing so well. He turned around to see the other ship. The captain rolled his eyes. The ship was gaining so slowly that even now if Jack changed his mind, the ship would be out of sight in minutes. Finally though, the other pirate ship pulled up so that the two ships were side by side.  
  
"Gibbs! Take the helm!" Jack ordered.  
  
"Aye, Cap'n." Gibbs said gruffly, taking the helm.  
  
"Keep her steady." Jack said in a low voice, clapping Gibbs on the back and then pushing past him. Jack stood by the side of the ship, waiting patiently. A few seconds later, a dirty looking pirate swung over on a rope. A sword dangled at the man's side, and he held a gun in the other. He cocked the gun and pointed it straight between Jack's eyes. The man's few teeth were rotting and brown, his hair hung in matted tangles in his face, and his hands were so covered in grit he could have blended in with sand on a beach.  
  
"Ah, Rat's Tail Robert. What can I do for you?" Jack asked amiably, clasping his hands behind his back. Robert leered at Jack.  
  
"Well well well. Jack Sparrow, innit!" The man rasped.  
  
"In the flesh." Jack replied. The man grinned, showing his half empty mouth.  
  
"From what I 'eard, you've gone soft! Got a little whelp runnin' round, and that ye've got a 'hore of a wife!" Robert sneered with a grin. Jack was examining the fingernails on his left hand intently. He looked up when Robert finished his tirade.  
  
"Really?" He asked in a bored voice.  
  
"It true?" Robert asked curiously. Jack grinned and leaned in.  
  
"True mate. But I wouldn't have said that about my wife. She can be very...temperamental." Jack confided. The guy cocked an eyebrow, confused. One moment, he was standing before Jack, looking slightly nervous, the next he was pinned on his back. What had happened was Jack's wife. Jen had overhead the man, and as soon as Jack stepped away from the man, she was running full speed and tackled the man. In the next two seconds, her sword was out and pointed at his throat, with her free arm she had his arm pinned, and her knee was digging painfully into Robert's stomach. Robert gasped, startled and in pain. Jack stood over him, looking amused.  
  
"I did warn ya, mate. Let 'im up, luv." He said to Jen. Jen glared at Robert but got up, sheathing her sword as she went. Robert got up, rubbing his throat and glaring at them both.  
  
"Now what is it you wanted from us?" Jack asked lazily. Robert grinned and stepped back warily.  
  
"Yer holds are burstin' with swag, Sparrow. So ye wouldn't mind if we just...took some." This said, five pirates swung through the fog and landed heavily on the deck of the Black Pearl, all brandishing swords. Jack grinned even broader despite the fact that his hand moved down to the hilt of his own sword.  
  
"I'll do you a favor, gentlemen. You can take any swag you can carry off my ship from the hold. But you have to get there and back as well."  
  
"You'll cut us ta ribbons!" One man growled. Jack raised his hands innocently and motioned for Jen to do the same.  
  
"No. We'll stand by and let it happen. It's the rest of the crew you've got to watch out for." Jack said carefully. The other pirates looked up to see most of the crew busy at work up in the rigging.  
  
"Hah! Easy pickings, boys! They won't even notice a thing!" One man snickered. The pirates ran towards the door leading down to the hold. Then they stopped, five paces before the door.  
  
"What is it?" One man asked.  
  
"It's....it's a kid!" Robert said, peering down at the thing before him. Indeed it was. Little Jack. Actually, his full name was Jack Mason Sparrow, but everyone called him Jack or L.J (Little Jack). His mother sometimes called him Mason just to avoid confusion though. (We'll call him Mason most of the time too) Mason stood defiantly, holding his own little sword confidently.  
  
"Sparrow must be losing it if he's usin' a two year old to guard 'is gold!" Robert sneered. The little boy glared through his own dark eyes.  
  
"I'm four years old, mate." He growled. One of the men laughed and tried to step by him. Instantly, Mason lashed out and cut the man's leg with his sword. The man howled in pain and lunged forward to get back at the child. Jack watched on, looking highly amused. Jen was nervous, and moved in to protect her baby. Mason was doing fine on his own though. As the pirate moved in, Mason lunged for as well and sliced the man's arm with his sword. The pirate gasped and clutched his sword. Robert moved in to attack and before he could swing at the boy, Mason had stabbed his leg. Robert fell back and the others moved in. Jen was too nervous to let him take on the other four alone, and moved in, her sword joining her son's. Together, they drove back the pirates until all six of them fell over the side of the Pearl and swam back to their own ship. Jack grinned and picked up his son, tossing him in the air.  
  
"Perfect, Jack! As usual." Jack said smugly to his son as Mason laughed, his sword clattering to the deck as he played with his father. You never would have guessed the same child had just injured four grown pirates on his own and not gotten a scratch.  
  
"I got them, Father!" Mason laughed as Jack tossed him up again. Jack grinned.  
  
"Yes, you did. But no, go and help Gibbs steer. He's not doing a very good job of keeping her steady." Jack ordered, putting Mason down. Mason nodded, his dark eyes now hard set with the idea of a task at hand.  
  
"Yes sir." He raced off to scold Gibbs. Jen sidled up to Jack.  
  
"I ought to slap you for putting our son on display like that." Jen growled. Jack looked down warily at Jen's hands and backed away. As he was well aware, she could slap VERY hard.  
  
"Yes, but luv, I would have saved him from any harm. You know that!" Jack said nervously. Jen closed the distance.  
  
"Fair enough. But still, I should slap you for not setting that scum straight about your family." Jack realized she was talking about Robert, who had, as he so delicately put it, called his wife a whore. Jack however, was amazingly at thinking on his feet.  
  
"Yes darling, but I wanted to let YOU set him straight, savvy?" Jack said with a smile. Jen sighed and smiled in return.  
  
"Fine. You win for that. You've also won the right to sleep in your side of the bed tonight. But you better hope you stay as cute as you are now, or I may not be so generous!" Jen teased. Jack grinned and wrapped an arm around her waist.  
  
"That would a bloody shame." He whispered in her ear, and then leaning in closer.  
  
"Captain! We're coming up on Port Royal!" Gibbs called. Jack straightened.  
  
"Good. The Turners could use a visit from us." 


	3. Propositions and Arguments

Disclaimer - I don't own POTC, nor any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
Jack safely steered the Black Pearl into his secret harbor. Once they had docked, he swooped up Mason and took Jen's hand and the three of them headed for the Turner's. Upon reaching the door, Mason knocked three times. From the other side of the door, a voice asked,  
  
"Who's there?" Jack leaned forward.  
  
"A passing sparrow with it's flock." Jack answered with a grin. The door was flung open and Will stood grinning in the doorway.  
  
"Jack! Good to see you!" He said, extending a hand. Jack took and pumped it vigorously before ushering his family inside. Will hurried to the foot of the steps and called up.  
  
"Elizabeth! Charlie! We've got some company!" He yelled. Almost immediately there was a massive thunder of footsteps racing down the stairs. Jen nearly clung to the couch, wondering if Will and Elizabeth had more children to make such a racket. But no, the only noisemaker was Charlie, the now five year old child of Will and Elizabeth.  
  
"Jack!" Charlie said, rushing forward to shake hands with his friend (Mason). Elizabeth followed shortly after, quickly hugging all three of the visitors. She looked them all over. Jack and Mason were in full pirate garb, but Jen was wearing a dress. On the Pearl, pants and a shirt were fine, but in towns she usually put on a dress.  
  
"Why don't you come and help me make some tea, Jen?" Elizabeth suggested.  
  
"Sure." Jen agreed, the two of them heading amiably into the kitchen, talking all the while. The two little boys were still talking rather animatedly.  
  
"Hey, wanna see my new sword that Father made me?" Charlie asked eagerly. Mason looked excited, yet scornful.  
  
"Sure. But it won't be as good as MY sword, and I could whip you any day." Mason said smugly.  
  
"Your on!" Charlie agreed. The two rushed up the stairs to Charlie's room.  
  
"Jack!" The elder Sparrow called sternly. Mason came creeping back to the top of the stairs.  
  
"Yes, Father?" He answered.  
  
"Don't hurt Charlie, all right?" Jack commanded. Mason grinned.  
  
"I won't, Father, I won't!" He cried over his shoulder as he ran to catch up with Charlie. Will and Jack sat down in chairs facing each other.  
  
"So what brings you to Port Royal?" Will asked casually, wondering if Jack was on his way to Tortuga. Jack looked around shiftily, his dark eyes glancing around.  
  
"I need a favor, mate." Jack said in a low voice. Will took taken aback and leaned far back in his chair.  
  
"Jack, if it involves dressing like a woman again," Will threatened. A smile lit Jack's eyes, but he waved away Will's statement with a wave of his hand.  
  
"No, not this time mate, sorry. I'm going after a treasure." Jack said slowly, still looking around. Will sighed heavily.  
  
"Jack, if you're going to ask me to come, I can't. I cannot risk my family." Will said with an air of finality. Jack grinned dryly.  
  
"Neither can I, Will." Jack said seriously. Will leaned forward again, intrigued.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This one...it's dangerous. I'm going alone. I want you to keep Jen and L.J here." Jack told his plan slowly, like he was still debating it. Will shook his head.  
  
"If it's that dangerous, don't risk it. L.J needs a father. And Jen won't stay here knowing your out there alone."  
  
"I won't be alone. I'll be with the crew."  
  
"Still, Jen won't stay. And L.J will be scared. What if something happens to you?"  
  
"He'll still have a mother, Will."  
  
"He needs a father Jack!"  
  
"An uncle can be pretty close to a father."  
  
"But an uncle isn't a father. Jack, don't risk this. And don't ask me to do this. Jen won't be able to survive if you die."  
  
"She'll get alone fine without me."  
  
"You'll risk your life and your family's happiness for gold?" Will said, disgusted. By now, they were taking in low, fast voices edged with anger and intensity.  
  
"I'm a pirate, mate. It's my job, my calling." Jack explained. Will shook his head, still angered by his friend's actions.  
  
"Your trading your life for gold, Jack! Jen will be left alone!"  
  
"No she won't. She'll have L.J and you all."  
  
"Jack, be reasonable."  
  
"I'm a pirate, whelp, we're not reasonable."  
  
"Wonderful, so THAT'S the explanation I'll give to Jen when she wonders why her husband is dead!" Will said scathingly. Jack stood up, feeling enraged.  
  
"Jen knew she married a pirate!" Jack shouted. Will stood up as well, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword, ready to fight Jack out of this. Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opened and Jen came out, carrying a tray of cups.  
  
"Of course I knew I married a pirate." She said in a calm, cool voice. Jack immediately went tense, and Will dropped his arms to his sides. Jen put the tray down on the table and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek. "What other kind of man was there? I'd been through a governor and a nobleman, and they just didn't cut it for me." Jen teased, sitting down on the couch and smiling. Will and Jack sat back down slowly, sending each other glares occasionally. Elizabeth came in with the teapot and began to pour it into the cups. Everyone took one except Jack. He looked at the tea in disgust.  
  
"Sorry, I don't drink. Do you happen to have rum?" He asked. Jen glared at him.  
  
"Jack Sparrow, you had rum last night. The tea'll help flush out your system. Then you can have some more on the ship." Jen chided. Jack grimaced and picked up a cup. Elizabeth noted with amusement that Jack hadn't corrected Jen with 'captain'. Suddenly, the two little boys came running downstairs, both brandishing their miniature swords.  
  
"I won Father, I won!" Mason cried. Jack grinned, planking his fragile china cup down on the table so hard that a crack appeared and everyone else winced. Jack picked up Mason and swung him into his arms.  
  
"Great job, L.J! Never doubted you for a second, mate." Jack said proudly, lifting L.J onto his shoulders. Charlie went to stand stubbornly by his father's chair.  
  
"We'll just practice a bit more, Charlie." Will said comfortingly. Charlie glared at L.J, then turned to his father.  
  
"He cheated! I was winning and then he pulled the rug out from under me!" Elizabeth was puzzled.  
  
"Charlie, that's just an expression. How did he force you to lose?" She asked. Will looked alarmed.  
  
"Jack, you didn't give him a pistol, did you?" He looked both alarmed and angry. Charlie turned to face everyone angrily.  
  
"NO, he literally pulled the rug out from under me!" Jen burst out into laughter which she smothered using her hand. Jack grinned up at his son, who currently was wearing his hat, which was too big and hung over one eye.  
  
"Like father like son, L.J!" Jack cheered. Mason whooped as well.  
  
"Don't worry Charlie, it wasn't your fault. Pirate's have no honor." The laughter stopped and Elizabeth and Jen glanced worriedly at each other.  
  
"A pirate has honor, L.J. We take care of ours at any price." Jack reassured his son.  
  
"Pirates have no honor, just like they have no heart." Will said coldly, looking at Charlie, but intending the words to cut Jack. Elizabeth glared at Will.  
  
"Will, really! What's gotten into you?" She questioned. Will glared over her shoulder at Jack.  
  
"It's all right Elizabeth. A blacksmith doesn't know how to make risks or protect what he loves."  
  
"No, a pirate doesn't know when to call it quits. Even for his own safety." Jen stood up.  
  
"I don't care what started this, I'm ending it. You two sit down and drink your tea like civilized...men." She finished. Jack helped Mason down off his shoulders and sat back down.  
  
"Will started it." Jack muttered.  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Did too."  
  
"Did not." Will snapped.  
  
"Did too." Exasperated, Elizabeth stood up and marched into the kitchen returning with a bottle of rum.  
  
"Jen, take Jack upstairs to the guest room and give him this. Will, you come with me into the kitchen." Jen took the warm bottle and led Jack upstairs, leaving Charlie and Mason to sit in the living room. They heard Will and Elizabeth talking in low voices, but overlooked it and continued their own conversation. Meanwhile, Jen and Jack were sitting on the bed upstairs.  
  
"Jack, what was going on?" Jen asked. Jack took a swig of rum.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing really. Just an argument." He said grimly.  
  
"Over what?" Jen prodded. Jack was silent for a minute, swinging the bottle in small circles and letting the rum swish around.  
  
"Nothing. Stupid really." Jen smiled and lay down.  
  
"Well, Will never was the smartest blacksmith." She joked. Jack half smiled and put the rum down half full on the night stand. Then he laid down and wrapped an arm around Jen. The two of them laid quietly in silence. Finally, Jen fell asleep and Jack went out into the hallway. Will was there as well. Will strode purposefully up to Jack.  
  
"I'll do it, but not for you." He growled, motioning with his head into the room where Jen lay sleeping. Jack nodded.  
  
"Thanks." Then the two passed as if it had never happened. 


	4. The Beckoning Sea

Disclaimer - I don't own POTC, nor any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
Jack sighed heavily as he and Jen climbed into bed that night.  
  
"Dinner was a fun event." Jen remarked dryly, sliding under the covers. Jack gave her a distracted half smile.  
  
"Yes, it was." He murmured. Jen rolled her eyes, trying to appear nonchalant. However, she was worried. Jack had only drank half of the rum set in front of him. Of course, every time he had gotten halfway finished, it was filled again. But still, it was unlike Jack to not drink it all. Dinner had been quiet. Anyone else would've said it was amazingly noisy. Elizabeth agreed entirely. She thought it had been so noisy the neighbors must've thought they were having a party. What with the two little boys screaming and yelling and laughing and throwing peas at each other, they made enough noise for ten grown men. And Jen and Elizabeth chatted away the entire time. What Elizabeth had failed to notice was the quietness of Jack and the vicious looks Will kept sending him.  
  
"Jack?" Jen murmured, rolling over. She lay her arm across his chest. Jack looked over at her.  
  
"Yes luv?"  
  
"I love you, all right?" Jen said quietly. Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Love you too, Jen. Good night." He said, and then blew out the candle. It didn't take long. Jen only took thirty minutes to fall asleep. Still, Jack hesitated. Could he leave his family, face nearly certain death? Jack remained motionless. But another force called him away, equaling his love of his family. His love for the ocean and her depth and the wind was beckoning. The chance of adventure was calling him. Jack was an hour behind schedule. He hadn't planned on feeling regret at leaving, if only for awhile. He removed Jen's arm and tucked the covers around her. He pulled on his shirt and strapped his sword around his waist. He pulled on his coat and plunked his hat firmly on his head. He held his boots in his hand, not wanting to make noise until he had to. Nothing seemed to be going right though. The door creaked so loudly as Jack closed it he thought even the neighbors had heard. Still, the house slept. The floorboards creaked every time he moved, even if his feet didn't. He opened the door to Charlie's room, where L.J was sleeping.  
  
"Adios, mate." He whispered. The door shut quietly. And then luck really ran out. Jack had reached the top of the stairs. The boots slipped out of his hands. One boot bounced down the stairs, seeming to thump extra hard on each step. The other landed with a hard crack in front of Jack. Cursing silently, Jack bent over to pick it up. And fate pushed him right over. The boot went with him, and together they rolled, bounced, and slid down the stairs. Jack landed with such a loud thump that he was certain the entire neighborhood was awake. He was sure that any second frantic neighbors would be knocking on the door, Charlie would be screaming bloody murder and waving his little sword, Jen would come silently and lethally from her room, a knife in her hand, ready to defend herself and her baby from an intruder. L.J would come out brandishing his mini sword, and Will would run from his room with his long sword shining warningly in the moonlight after ordering Elizabeth to stay put. Jack winced. But nothing. The house remained silent and slept on, unaware. Jack sighed with relief and pulled on his boots. He opened the door and looked out into the quiet, cool night air. He glanced upstairs once more.  
  
"Well, I'm getting that horizon!" He muttered, not wanting to say goodbye. Then he was off, racing silently through the streets. He arrived at the Pearl shortly, where the crew was waiting lined up, silent and stony faced as he approached. Anamaria was shaking her head slowly and her fingers were close to her face, like she was ready to bite them. Gibbs stepped up to Jack first.  
  
"So yeh really left them?" He asked slowly. Jack scowled.  
  
"Temporarily, mate. I thought you didn't like Jen? And remember, women are bad luck, savvy?" Jack reminded Gibbs. Gibbs sighed heavily.  
  
"Those two never brought us bad luck. I feel like we're trying to catch a wind without sails." Gibbs muttered. Jack felt the ill words sink in, but his stoic face returned almost instantly.  
  
"To your positions, you scurvy sea dogs! Into the mainmast with you! Raise anchor! We've got a treasure to find!" Jack shouted. The crew instantly sprang into action. Jack took the wheel, Anamaria lagging at his heels. She seemed nervous, something Jack had never seen in her. The ship groaned and then took to the sea again. Jack glanced so quickly over his shoulder he may as well have been staring into the sails the entire time. He couldn't help feeling bad, and he couldn't help feeling good. But either way, Jack Sparrow would do what he wanted.  
  
And when the morning came, he was so far gone he couldn't hear the scream that woke most of Port Royal. Captain Sparrow was so set in his adventure he didn't hear the scream of a shaken tigress. 


	5. Waking Up

Disclaimer - I don't own POTC, any characters, plots, events, settings, etc. It belongs to Disney. Except Jen and L.J, and Charlie.  
  
Will sat up shortly before dawn. Jack was gone, he knew. He couldn't shake off the bad feeling he had about the whole affair. He sighed and leaned against the headboard, crossing his arms over his chest in concentration. Presently, Elizabeth woke up and fumbled in the dark, reaching for his arm.  
  
"Will? Are you awake?" She mumbled sleepily. Will took her hand and squeezed it.  
  
"I'm up, Elizabeth." Elizabeth darted up.  
  
"Jack's gone." She said in a rush, looking around as if she expected to see banners proclaiming this event. Will smiled dryly.  
  
"How did you know?" Elizabeth leaned against the headboard as well.  
  
"The house feels emptier, somehow." She whispered in the dark. Will nodded.  
  
"Yes. And soon Jen will wake up. And we'll have to deal with it." Will grumbled. Elizabeth kissed Will's cheek.  
  
"Well, if we're going to need all that extra energy, we should get some more sleep." She proposed, snuggling down in the covers. Will glanced down where his legs were hidden beneath the navy covers. That sounded like a wonderful idea.  
  
Two hours later, Will stood firmly against the closet door. The doorknob was rattling violently, and he was using all his strength and weight and muscles to keep the door shut. The occupant of the closet was pushing brutally against it. Every so often the force was gone, only to return seconds later with a forceful slam. Will shoved his shoulder harder against the door and braced his feet to keep it shut. There was an almost inhuman snarling coming from inside the closet. Will was now desperately wishing he had gotten another hour or so, as Elizabeth had so proposed. But unfortunately, that hadn't worked out.  
  
REWINDING TWO HOURS  
  
Just as Will scuttled down and was pulling the covers around his shoulders, he heard murmuring from down the hall. Elizabeth raised her head.  
  
"What's that?" Elizabeth asked, in a worried, sleepy tone. Will squinted into the darkness.  
  
"Probably one of the boys." He said quietly, silently praying that was it. The murmuring grew, increasing into to normal speech level. Very, very quickly, the volume increased. It was like...hearing a cello play, and then without warning the piccolo cuts in, playing in the upper octave. A full fledged scream split through the Turner household. Will and Elizabeth bolted up, Will still praying it was Charlie or Mason. A little boy shrieking and crying about a horrible nightmare would be much better than Jen would be when she discovered Jack missing. Will ran ahead of Elizabeth, and his heart sank as he approached the boy's door and realized it was silent in there. He ran past to Jen's room. He pushed open the door and sure enough, there was Jen, standing in the middle of the room, clinging to something for dear life and screaming as if she was being attacked by a thousand swords. Will's hair stood on end as the unearthly scream grew louder.  
  
"Jen!" He shouted, trying to be heard above the noise. There was an added roar as the door of the boy's room burst open and Charlie and L.J burst out, Charlie looking jumpy and L.J looking half scared, half ferocious.  
  
"Mum!" Charlie shouted. Elizabeth swooped down and hugged both boys, ushering them back into their room.  
  
"What's going on?" L.J shouted over the noise, his hands clamped over his ears. Elizabeth's heart sank as she thought of telling L.J.  
  
"Your mother's just had a bad dream, is all." She quickly said. Suddenly, the screaming stopped and Elizabeth thanked the heavens. Her ears were still ringing. In the other room, Will was sitting Jen down in a chair.  
  
"Jen, listen to me." He ordered. Jen was staring straight ahead, her fingers locked over whatever she was holding.  
  
"Where is Jack?" She said. Her voice didn't match her appearance. She looked docile and frightened, but her voice came out hard and angry and defiant. Will was kneeling in front of her. He noticed her fingers creating a cage for the object, locked so tightly her fingers were white. He gently pried them apart and was shocked to see what she was holding. Jack's compass. He had engraved Jen's name on the back. As he stared openmouthed, Jen spoke again.  
  
"Will, where is Jack?" She asked again in the same voice. Will gulped and handed her the compass back.  
  
"Jen, Jack is gone. He set sail during the night. He asked us to watch you and L.J (Lol I've decided that L.J is easier to type, so that's what I'm using most now!) while he's gone. He, he didn't want you to come, because he thought it was too dangerous." Will said nervously, wondering if he should be telling this while she was being restrained by ten guards and he wasn't in the range of heavy flying objects.  
  
"Jack left us here?" Jen asked, blinking suddenly and looking down at Will, her eyes clear now.  
  
"Yes, only until he returns." Jen's face was suddenly contorted in fury. She stood up, nearly knocking Will over, and cocked the compass in her hand.  
  
"That bloody bastard left us here while he goes gallivanting after treasure!" She screamed, throwing the compass hard against the wall. It hit and fell to the floor with a crack.. Suddenly, she ran after it, dropping to her knees and cradling it in her hands.  
  
"It's only temporary. And you know Jack, I'm sure he'll be fine." Will said, trying to be reassuring. He didn't believe his words though. Jack was never short on confidence, and what could be dangerous enough that he didn't trust his own ability to take care of his family? Jen stood up, looking much more calm and resolute.  
  
"I'm going after him. He took the Pearl, but I can find another passage." Jen said determinedly. Will shook his head.  
  
"No, it's too risky. And you need to look after L.J. What is something happens to you?" Will asked. Jen grabbed some clothes out of the bag she had brought from the Pearl and hid behind a screen, changing out of her nightshirt into her pants and shirt.  
  
"Nothing will happen to me Will. I'm going to get Jack and come back, and punish his sorry backside." Jen said fiercely. She stepped out from behind the screen, her hands on her hips. She looked much more intimidating.  
  
"I can't let you, Jen. I promised Jack you'd stay here." Jen strode forward and put her face inches from Will's. Her eyes were lit with fire, reminding him incredibly of a tiger he'd once seen while in England.  
  
"I'm going, Will Turner, and not you or the British navy can stop me." She growled.  
  
And so it was that two hours later Will stood with his shoulders burning and his back aching, against the closet door. After succeeding in pushing Jen into the closet, he ordered Elizabeth to send the two boys away.  
  
"Tell them to go to the smithy and start getting ready for the day." Will told her. Elizabeth sent the boys on their way and then paced nervously in front of the door and Will, occasionally lending her strength. For awhile, Jen had yelled curses at Will and threatened both him and Jack. Finally, she gave way to ramming the door, jiggling the knob incessantly, and sometimes screaming like some animal mid hunt. It was another two hours before Will finally let her out, and she headed upstairs flanked by Elizabeth, who was her guard for the day while Will was out. Jen had agreed not to leave, agreed to stay and watch L.J.  
  
"He needs you." Will said softly before leaving to begin work at the smithy. Jen nodded and sighed, then continued her ascent up the stairs. She wasn't really in any condition to escape anyway. Her shoulders were heavily bruised from ramming the door, her throat was sore from screaming, and her ankle hurt from when she woke to find Jack gone and tried to get out of bed, instead getting tangled in the sheets and crashing down to the floor. But she knew as she laid down on her bed and sleep tried to claim her, that she was going to go after Captain Jack Sparrow. Nothing was going to stand in her way of recapturing that wandering bird. 


	6. Angel's Fury

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
A storm was brewing over Port Royal. The merchants had cleared off the streets, and the children were running home. A few raindrops splashed down to the cobblestones, and thunder rumbled ominously overhead. The clouds were nearly black and covered the entire sky. The palm trees whipped around as a strong wind tossed them around. Jen sighed. At sea, the storm would be two times worse. And it was. In the vast ocean, Jack Sparrow was clinging to the helm of the Black Pearl, yelling instructions to his crew.  
  
"Here's your dinner, Jen." Elizabeth said cheerfully, handing Jen a plate.  
  
"Thanks." Jen said gratefully, accepting the plate of dinner and beginning to eat while still watching out the window. Elizabeth wandered back into the kitchen where the rest of the Turner's and L.J were eating. A few minutes later, L.J entered the living room and climbed up into his mother's lap.  
  
"Where's Father?" He asked, his eyes following the movement of a parasol tumbling down the street.  
  
"He's out at sea, L.J."  
  
"Why'd he go without us?"  
  
"He wanted us to have a vacation." Suddenly, Jen stood up, grabbing L.J under the arms and carrying him up the stairs. She plunked him down on the bed in her room and let him play with the compass while she wrote something down on stationary that was in the room. She sealed the parchment in an envelope and handed it to L.J.  
  
"L.J....L.J are you listening to me?" She asked. L.J looked up from the compass and stared into her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, Mother, I'm listening."  
  
"Good. I want you to give this envelope to your uncle Will in the morning, okay?" L.J returned to playing with the compass.  
  
"I will Mother. Promise." Jen quickly rolled some of her possessions into a ball and stuffed them into a sack. Then she took the remaining things and tossed the idly around the room. L.J was now watching his mother curiously.  
  
"Mum? Are you going somewhere?" He asked, the compass dropping forgotten onto the comforter. Jen slid onto the bed next to L.J.  
  
"Listen baby, I'm going to go get your father and bring him back. He's being a....a..."  
  
"A eunuch?" L.J suggested helpfully.  
  
"Exactly. Hey! Don't go talking like your father, L.J. He's got a mouth on him. But listen kid, I'll be back as soon as I can be. All right?"  
  
"Savvy."  
  
"Mum? Can I come? I want to come with you."  
  
"Sorry mate. I've got to go alone, it might be dangerous."  
  
"I can defend myself!" L.J said defensively, his hand straying to his little sword. Jen smiled.  
  
"I know. But think of it like a sleepover, all right?"  
  
"Savvy." L.J mumbled.  
  
"Now give me a hug." She ordered. L.J obliged and then slid down off the bed. The little boy headed for the door, his head down, his black locks falling into his eyes.  
  
"Bye Mum." He muttered, stepping out into the hallway.  
  
"L.J!" She called. The boy turned, the black hair still hanging like a shield over his eyes.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Keep these with you." Jen said softly. In one hand, she held out the compass. L.J snatched it out of her hand, tucking it into his pocket with the letter. And in the other hand, she was holding a necklace with a dark red jewel hanging on it. It was a necklace Jack had given her when they had first met, and Jen had worn it everyday since she had married him. L.J took it gently and slipped it into his pocket.  
  
"Come back soon." L.J said quietly, and then left. Jen sighed. This was harder than she thought it would be. When night fell, Will and Elizabeth bid goodnight to the two little boys and to Jen. At midnight, the two Sparrows were still awake. Jen had finished packing the remainder of her clothes and headed for the window. Outside, the rain was turning the dirt to mud and the thunder was so loud that it rattled the house. Jen opened the window and slipped out, dropping down into the mud below. Shaking her hair out of her eyes, she began to run towards the docks. L.J, despite the loud storm, heard the window open and slipped out of the room he and Charlie were sharing. He ran to his mother's room to find the window still open, and he could just make out her dark form running into the night. L.J fought back tears, but eventually lost. He lost track of which drops on his hands and his face were tears, and which were raindrops. But when the Turner's found him the next morning, he was awake, sitting in a heap under the open window, soggy and clutching a letter. He handed it wordlessly to Will and then left the room. Will scanned it and then rammed his fist against the wall, cursing.  
  
When Jen reached the docks, her clothes were plastered to her, and her hair was stringy and stuck to her face. She saw a ship she vaguely recognized. They had passed it at sea once, and Jack had mentioned the captain's name. Something like Seth Reynold. That was it. Jen headed up the gangplank and found the crew scurrying around on the deck. The Captain was at the helm. It looked like they were getting ready to shove off.  
  
"Captain Reynold!" Jen shouted over the howling wind. The captain hurried down to meet her.  
  
"That's me. What do ye need?" He asked.  
  
"I need passage. I'm following someone."  
  
"And who might that be?"  
  
"Jack Sparrow."  
  
"Sorry lass, I've heard he's taken."  
  
"I know. I took him. I'm his wife. I need to go after him. Will you take me or not?" The captain rubbed his hands together, thinking.  
  
"Well, we had no pressing matters to attend to, no fixed direction. Welcome aboard the Angel's Fury." He welcomed her finally. Jen smiled wryly. A fitting name for such a passage.  
  
"In return, I'll work as a crew member." Jen bargained.  
  
"Aye, that be a fair trade. Now, what's ole' Jack chasin' that he left 'is wife behind?" Jen considered lying...and did it.  
  
"I'm not sure. Better not be another woman!" She joked. The captain laughed and headed back for the helm.  
  
"Put yer' things in the crew's quarters, and then get to helpin' the others!" He ordered. 


	7. Ideas

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
Jen lashed a cannon tight to the deck. The rain was coming down so fierce that the entire crew was half crawling on the deck, just trying to stay aboard. Jen shook her hair out of her eyes and saw Captain Reynold standing strong against the wind, although for all she knew, he could be lashed to the helm.  
  
"We need help in the sails!" A fellow pirate shouted to her. She nodded and slunk over to the rigging. Bracing tight against the ropes, she held tight and stayed low. When she reached the first main royal yard (the topmost sail), the sailor was trying to let the sail out even more. It was flapping and billowing in the gusting wind.  
  
"Tie it down!" She shouted. The pirate stared at her questioningly.  
  
"IF YOU TIE IT DOWN, WE CAN'T BE BLOWN OFF COURSE AS EASILY!" She shouted. Understanding lit up in the pirate's eyes and together, they tied down all the sails on the mast. They were making their way down when Jen saw a pirate gesturing up at them, yelling something. She spotted a rope that was hanging down and slid to the deck.  
  
"The captain wants to know what you're doing!" He screamed. She nodded.  
  
"Tie down the sails on the other deck!" She yelled back. He scuttled off to tell the others and Jen leapt up to the helm.  
  
"I'm having the sails tied down so we can stay on course!" Reynold, upon hearing this, nodded and grinned at her.  
  
"Aye. Right smart, that was! Whose idea was that?" He asked loudly.  
  
"Jack Sparrow's!" Jen yelled back.  
  
"Jack Sparrow! Ben needs you!" Anamaria shouted. Jack squinted through the heavy rain that pounded the deck and saw Anamaria sliding towards him.  
  
"What's wrong?" He shouted back, vaguely aware of the fact that his hands were nearly frozen to the helm.  
  
"Ben is sick! Someone needs to tend the boy!" Jack drew back, alarmed, and it showed on his face.  
  
"I can't HEAL people, Ana. My skills are limited! Besides, yer....womanly. And nursing is a maternal instinct." Anamaria whipped out her dagger.  
  
"You tend the boy. I'll steer." She growled. Jack eyed the dagger with distaste and nodded. He slipped down through the rain to below deck. He found Ben's lying in his hammock, moaning. Gibbs was nearby, looking nervous and shifty.  
  
"Lad's burnin' with fever, but shivers like we're in the Atlantic Jack!" Gibbs rasped, vexed. Jack hung back, nearly balking at the fact that he had to do this. Ben was the youngest crew member, a boy of about fifteen.  
  
"Well, cover him up! You heard me ya mangy dog, get on it!" Gibbs nodded and layered blankets on Ben. Ben groaned softly but snuggled into the blankets. Gibbs grinned at Jack.  
  
"How'd ya know ta do that?" He asked. Jack smirked.  
  
"Jen did that for L.J when he was a young lad." Jack muttered, his thoughts turning for the millionth time to the wife and child he left behind. The boy mumbled something.  
  
"What?" Gibbs asked.  
  
"Sing." The boy rasped. Jack stepped back, alarmed.  
  
"What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Seems he wants us to sing!" Gibbs pondered. "You do it, I....I have a sore throat." Jack glared at Gibbs.  
  
"Well I can't!" Gibbs shook his head.  
  
"I can't." And with that, he actually ran from the room. The boy coughed. Jack rubbed his head.  
  
"Okay. Fine. Yo ho yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We pillage we plunder we r," The boy yelped and moaned. Jack jumped back, both alarmed and hurt. "Wasn't that bad." He muttered. He racked his brain for an idea. Suddenly, he got one. He rubbed his hands together and exhaled slowly. "Can't believe I'm gonna do this. You're goin' soft, Captain." He muttered. With that, he proceeded to sing Amazing Grace.  
  
L.J wandered throughout the town, listening half heartedly as Charlie rambled on. They had been walking for two hours, but Charlie's mouth never stopped and L.J seemed to be listening. They were passing the docks for a third time when suddenly, L.J spotted someone.  
  
"Hey, I bet I can race you to the other end of the docks so fast, you won't even see me." L.J said suddenly. Charlie stopped mid sentence, listening to the challenge. Charlie grinned.  
  
"You're on."  
  
"Good." They both crouched. "Ready, set, go!" He exclaimed. Charlie raced off towards the other end of the dock, and L.J doubled back.  
  
"Jonathon!" He shouted. The man, Jonathon, turned and his face lit up.  
  
"L.J! My favorite little pirate." Jonathon said with a grin. Jonathon was a young man, no older than twenty five. He had worked on Jack's ship up until five months ago, when he bought a ship and became a captain. "Careful L.J, 'member I'm a pirate, and not exactly welcome. Keep your voice down, mate." He laughed. Jonathon was easy going enough.  
  
"I need something." L.J said seriously. Jonathon nodded. "My dad left, and Mother went after him. I need to find one of them." He explained. Jonathon stared at him thoughtfully.  
  
"L.J!" He heard suddenly. Charlie was racing back towards him, panting. There wasn't much time.  
  
"Can you take me?" He asked quickly.  
  
"I can't mate. I promised the crew we'd rest a week, so if you can wait I'll take you. But if you're desperate, I've got a friend leaving soon." Charlie was almost upon them, L.J noted with panic.  
  
"I've got to go!" He said desperately, meaning both Port Royal and before Charlie reached them. Jonathon nodded.  
  
"Right. Meet me here tonight, when it's dark." He said, then slipped away through the crowd. Charlie reached L.J and bent over, panting, his small chest heaving.  
  
"Boy, you are fast! I didn't even see you beat me!" Charlie gasped. L.J grinned and looked out to sea. 'Wait for me, I'm coming.'  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Sorry for the delay! Don't worry, more is coming! And soon it'll get a bit lighter. I noticed it's been kind of heavy lately. L.J is really growing on me! I hope you guys like him too! Please review! 


	8. Findings

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
L.J had acquired his father's ease on the sea and his mother's grace on land. He was thankful for both as he opened the window in Charlie's room and tightened his belt around his waist, checking to make sure his sword still hung firmly there. It was secure. Assured, he slung his pack of belongings out the window and heard it land with a loud thump. The Turner family had been asleep and silent for an hour, and in that time he had packed his things. He put his hand in the pocket and found his father's compass, tucked it back inside, and patted the necklace around his neck. All of his things together, he slipped out the window and shut it gently behind him. He grinned and felt the night wind ruffle his hair. He climbed down off the roof, picked up his things, and ran towards the docks.  
  
Jen  
It was night when the Angel's Fury came upon another ship. It was a clear night, the black sky speckled with stars and lit by a gleaming moon. Jen was sitting on the bow, idly turning her knife over in her fingers. The first mate of Reynold strolled up to the captain and nodded his head towards the solitary figure.  
  
"Is that her idea of a 'sentry'?" He asked rudely. The captain laughed softly.  
  
"She isn't on sentry. She's off duty right now."  
  
"Why isn't she asleep like the others?"  
  
"That one hasn't slept in three days." Reynold said softly and admiringly. Jen felt the rise and fall of the waves beneath her and looked down to the see the figurehead, a gracefully made angel with wings spread wide and a terrible expression on her beautiful face. Suddenly, Jen stood up.  
  
"There's a ship! That's the Black Pearl!" She shouted back to Reynold.  
  
"I'll be. Old Jack is back again." Reynold murmured. The Angel's Fury seemed to fly towards the Black Pearl.  
  
Jack  
Gibbs tapped Jack on the shoulder.  
  
"Jack." Jack ignored Gibbs, instead staring straight ahead.  
  
"Jack! Ye stubborn ass, turn around!" Gibbs snapped. Jack suddenly realized that Gibbs was addressing him and turned around. There was a ship approaching fast.  
  
'The Angel's Fury. I'll be. Reynold has returned the scabberous dog!" Jack laughed. Gibbs shot Jack a strange, confused look. He had no idea whether Jack liked this Reynold or not.  
  
"Cap'n, should we lose 'im?"  
  
"No. Let's see what he wants."  
  
Jen  
Jen was holding so tightly to the knife, she barely noticed the blade digging into her palm.  
  
"When I get my hands on him, he's going to wish he had never left me. I intend to make him wish he'd never heard of that treasure." Jen sneered slowly. She noticed the blood dripping out of her hands and slipped the knife into her pocket. Reynold turned over the helm to his first mate and stood beside Jen.  
  
"Married Jack Sparrow, did ye?" He asked with interest.  
  
"Yes. What's it to you?" Jen asked icily. She didn't trust other pirate captains. You could never tell what side they were on, or if they'd switch. For all she knew, Reynold was going to shoot Jack for some old grudge. But she didn't think so. Although she knew in the back of her mind the ship was going fast, she didn't think the ship was moving at all. Finally, the boats drew level with each other. Jack stood at the edge of his ship, waiting. Two figures were on the other ship, getting ready to speak with him. Jack waited, though impatiently. Finally, when neither of the figures began speaking after five minutes, Jack opened his mouth to begin. Suddenly, he was knocked flat on his back and there was a dagger in his face.  
  
"Jack Sparrow, I'm going to KILL you!" Jen hissed. Jack gulped and coughed weakly. He noted with some apprehension that the dagger was already smeared with blood.  
  
"Captain luv, captain. Lovely to see you again. Here. On this ship. Where you're not supposed to be." Jen stood up and kicked Jack's thigh angrily. Wincing, Jack got up too. He heard someone laughing.  
  
"Who's there?" Jack asked. Reynold swung over onto the ship.  
  
"Well well well. Captain Jack Sparrow. Never thought any man could take ye down. I guess a man can't, but a woman can." Reynold drawled. Jack grinned.  
  
"Are you calling this thing a woman? More like a mercenary." Jack grumbled, rubbing his thigh. Jen glared at him and crossed her arms.  
  
"How have you been, Reynold?" Jack asked.  
  
"Good. And yourself, I don't need to ask. Now tell me, what treasure would be so precious, ye left yer wife at home?" Jack grinned proudly.  
  
"I'm going after Bloodbath's treasure." Jack announced. Reynold's jaw dropped.  
  
"Are ye daft, Jack? Been out in the sun too long...does things to a man." Reynold mumbled darkly. "Jack, no fool that ever went after that treasure has lived to tell the tale!"  
  
"Good thing I'm no fool." Jack retorted. Reynold shook his head.  
  
"Good luck Jack. But I'm no fool, I'm old. I'll leave treasure hunts to the young. Good fortune to ye Jack." Reynold said slowly. Jack nodded.  
  
"Same to you." Reynold returned to his ship, and slowly, the Angel's Fury receded from sight. Jack turned hesitantly to his wife.  
  
"Jen. Wonderful to see you!" He said in a fake tone of cheerfulness. Jen restrained herself from slapping him.  
  
"You have a lot of explaining to do." She growled. Jack slumped and sat down, patting the ground next to him.  
  
"Well, there's not much time left. So let's begin."  
  
L.J  
  
L.J reached the docks as Jonathon appeared out of the darkness.  
  
"L.J, I'll take you to my friend's ship. But I want to warn you, he isn't very friendly. His name is Captain Robert Muerte." L.J's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing, just held tighter to his bag of belongings. His father had taught him the Spanish he knew, and L.J knew 'muerte' meant death. The two walked along until they reached the gangplank of a ship.  
  
"Bye Jonathon." L.J said bravely, unable to help himself from letting his hand snake down to the hilt of his sword.  
  
"Luck to you L.J. The captain's waiting. Go on." He advised, disappearing once more into dark. As soon as Jonathon disappeared, a dark figure showed himself at the top of the gangplank.  
  
"Ah, so you'll be L.J." The captain said softly, his voice soft but edged like steel. L.J swallowed hard, nervous.  
  
"Yes. I need passage to find the Black Pearl. I can work as a sailor on your ship." L.J offered, again sounding braver than he felt. From where he stood, he could see the captains' eyes glitter like black diamonds and the flash of his gold teeth. L.J restrained himself from shuddering.  
  
"Such a little thing like you? It would be like hiring a little girl to work." The captain laughed. L.J scowled.  
  
"I'm a hard worker. I've worked on the Black Pearl since I was born." L.J snapped. The captain stepped down the gangplank towards L.J. L.J, despite his fear, lifted his chin defiantly. A weather worn hand came up from the darkness and tilted L.J's face up towards Robert Muerte. The captain recognized the defiance and the stubborn tone. He recognized the tan skin and the tangle of black hair, although L.J's was pulled back into a messy tail. He didn't recognize the eyes, but the nose was the same.  
  
"Yer mother's eyes, but ye belong to yer father, and in due time, the sea, boy. You may be the son of Jack Sparrow, but there's more to a man than his lineage. I want you to fight a member of my crew."  
  
MORE LATER! READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! I'm playing with something about Muerte....more on that! 


	9. Fighting and Tales

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.  
  
(But I actually do own the plot I made up, and Jen and Muerte and Johnathon and L.J. So...yeah.)  
  
L.J – "You want me to fight?" L.J asked nervously, trying not to let panic edge into his voice.  
  
"Yes." Muerte answered. L.J nodded.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
"Brave lad." The captain said, half laughing and half serious. L.J threw down his bag and unsheathed his sword. Muerte scanned the deck of the dark ship. "Anita! Git over here lass!" He ordered. At first, L.J wanted to protest. A girl? Was it a joke? Then he remembered Ana Maria. She would have killed him faster than he could draw his sword if he had scoffed at the idea of fighting her. The woman Anita slithered out of the shadows.  
  
"What, Cap'n?" She asked lazily. She had dark skin that blended into the night air, and she had dark hair that hung around her shoulders in a tangled mess. Her eyes glittered like white stars in a black sky as she stared down at L.J. "What's a little 'un like this doin' on the ship?" She asked. The captain grinned.  
  
"He may be the newest member o' the crew Nita. But initiation test first." The captain informed her. Anita's jaw dropped.  
  
"Yer gonna make me fight a lad?"  
  
"Aye. And ye'll do it if ye know what's good for ye. This be Jack Sparrow's boy, left behind from the Pearl. Lad wants us to go after it and give 'im a lift there." For a minute, Anita stared so fiercely at L.J he felt like a fish caught in a net with a knife at his head. Suddenly, she laughed.  
  
"I got business with a member of the Pearl. Let's dance, kid. Ye got a name?" She asked, smoothly unsheathing her own sword as she asked. L.J swallowed hard and held his sword in front of him.  
  
"Yes. My name is L.J."  
  
"That's short fer somethin' isn't it?" Anita asked, settling into a fighting stance.  
  
"Little Jack. Mum calls me that." Anita nodded.  
  
"Good. Ye got a mother to stitch ye up from fights. Excellent." Anita said with a nod. L.J hoped she didn't mean he'd need stitches from this fight in particular. Without warning, Anita darted forward, her sword jabbing towards L.J's heart. With a quick sweep, L.J thrust her sword away from its blow. Anita switched effortlessly into defense, and it took a great deal of energy for L.J to keep up an attack against her rigorous offense. She was a good two feet taller than him, which gave him a slight advantage, but what she lacked there she made up for in strength. A crowd had gathered now, watching silently as the two fought viciously. Anita's eyes were gleaming with fire as she changed into offense and began making cruel jabs at L.J that used the best of his strength to avoid. Suddenly, she flipped his sword out of his hand and held the blade of her own sword under his throat. L.J's eyes darted around. He had been taught never to give up until dead. The captain clapped his hands once like he was about to make a speech when suddenly L.J slipped under Anita's legs, grabbed the pistol out of a sailor's waistband and aimed it at Anita.  
  
"Just borrowing!" He exclaimed breathlessly to the owner of the gun. He aimed and fired, with a shot that sent Anita's sword spiraling out of her hand. He aimed the gun towards Anita's heart, advancing slowly and taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Suddenly, Anita grabbed a knife from a nearby pirate and lunged towards him. With the barrel of the gun, he nudged it away. He reached behind him and found a knife in the pocket of a pirate. Quickly he snatched it up and moved close to Anita, the pistol at her heart and the knife at her gut. All of a sudden, Anita slipped her foot under the blade of her sword, flipped it into the air, grabbed it by the hilt, and laid the cold steel under L.J's chin. The captain laughed and clapped a few times, signaling it was over.  
  
"Welcome aboard, young master L.J. Yer now a member of Freedom's Fang. We set off to chase the Pearl immediately."  
  
Jen Jack  
"Jack, you idiot! Why didn't you just take me along in the first place?" Jen raged as Jack lay in bed and she paced restlessly in front of it. They had moved their argument into their room, where there was some privacy. Jack sighed and swung his feet over the edge of the bed.  
  
"Because I know its dangerous luv. Calm down and sit here." Jack said soothingly, patting the mattress. Jen sat heavily on the bed.  
  
"If you know it's dangerous, why bother? Why risk your life?" Jen asked in agony. Jack gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards him.  
  
"Because I'm a pirate Jen. This is what pirate's do. We have adventures."  
  
"I'm a pirate too." Jen pointed out. Jack nodded and then grinned a devilish smile.  
  
"I admit, you have a black heart equaling my own darling. But there are some things I'll do that I won't risk my family's lives for, savvy?"  
  
"Don't you have responsibilities for L.J and me too Jack? What about us? Don't you care enough to leave some stupid treasure alone for your family?" Jen protested. Jack kissed her forehead and then held her face close to his, his eyes boring firmly into hers.  
  
"Jen, I love you and L.J with all of my heart. But you know the sea has a claim over me too. You knew that when ya married me, and now you know even more. Let me ask you again, is this what ya want?" Jack asked imploringly. Jen wrapped her arms around Jack.  
  
"I want this Jack, as much as I did when I said my vows to now! But competing with the ocean...such a vast mistress, how will I compare?" Jen asked miserably. Jack laughed.  
  
"Yer not in a beauty competition luv. You stay beautiful even when yer mad. In fact, yer even lovelier. But the ocean, she's got more bad days than good." Jack teased. Jen managed a laugh. Finally, she calmed herself and settled in on the bed, sitting cross-legged.  
  
"So tell me about this treasure."  
  
"Bloodbath's treasure?"  
  
"Aye, that one."  
  
"A hundred or so year's ago, there was a vicious pirate named Bloodbath. No one knows 'is first name. Some say the man doesn't have one. Anyway, everyone was afraid of him. He was a precedent for pirate's everywhere!" Jack said slightly dreamily. "He was the terror of the sea, the scourge of the oceans. Every port feared him, every sailor hated him, and every pirate did a bit of both, along with a bundle o respect. He killed without regret or sadness, and was tough man. Some say 'is crew was a bunch of devils. Others say he just worked them too hard and fed em too little, and that's why they were so bloodthirsty. People think a man like him couldn't find somethin' to love, but old Bloodbath found somethin' all right. A woman. They say 'er name was Emma Thunder. No one's sure, really. But anyway," Jack pressed on, waving aside that information, "Bloodbath was completely smitten with this woman. But one day, 'e comes into port to find her with another man. He keelhauled the man until he was dead." Jen shuddered. Keelhauling is when you tie a rope around someone and drag them from one end of the ship to the other...underwater. "The girl though, it was worse. He tortured her on the voyage they were on. When they reached their destination, it was a dark, huge cave. He hid his treasure in there, in the darkest recesses. And then he locked the girl in with the treasures. He left her there. Came back three days later, and the girl was still alive, but barely. She begged to be let go, but Bloodbath's heart was completely black now. He gave her an apple, and just as the apple reached her lips, Bloodbath cut 'er throat. Some say he was crazy by now. He poured her blood over his treasure, and then left. He died shortly after. But that cave is surrounded by obstacles now. He died there too, and so did his crew. Whirlpools and storms guard that cave. And I'm going to go and get it." Jen shivered hearing this tale. She didn't like to think of finding that girl's bones. Jack wrapped his arms around Jen as they got under the covers and got ready to sleep.  
  
"Let me guess, the cave is haunted by the girl and Bloodbath." Jen said wryly. Jack grinned.  
  
"So the story goes. Jen?" He said suddenly with urgency in his voice.  
  
"Yes Jack?"  
  
"L.J's safe at home, right luv?" He asked worriedly. Jen laughed.  
  
"Don't worry. He's with Will and Elizabeth. And no where near the sea."  
  
- -   
All right, next chapter will be posted soon! Please review! Thanks! 


	10. Superstition?

Disclaimer – I don't own POTC, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it. It belongs to Disney.

JEN & JACK

Two days later, the Black Pearl was shrouded in a thick curtain of fog. Jack was at the helm, and Jen was standing nervously beside him.

"We're almost there." Jack said, peering into the mist. Anna Maria was standing in the rigging about fifty feet off the deck.

"Hey Jack! There's somethin' out here!" She shouted. Jack rolled his eyes and muttered 'Bloody crew'.

"Anna Maria, luv, how can I have an understanding of what's out there if all ya tell me is somethin's there?" Jack snapped impatiently. Anna Maria peered into the fog, and suddenly something swung out of the mist, slamming into her. She tumbled out of the rigging and would have fallen to her death if she hadn't caught a rope and managed to hold on. The thing that had knocked her out of the rigging dropped to the deck, unscathed. Jack stepped away from the helm and drew his sword.

"There's your answer!" Anna Maria shouted, sliding down the rope to the deck. There was a loud swishing sound and suddenly there were more of the strange things on the deck. It took Jen a minute to realize that they were men with swords...but how could a man have survived that drop and how could they have just come out of the mist.

"They're ghosts!" Jack shouted as he met the sword of the first ghost. With a vicious movement, he sent the ghost's sword spinning out of its reach. The sword hit the deck with a clang and vanished, just as the ghost burst into smoke. "Disarm them and they'll go away!" Jack shouted to his crew, running towards the next. Jen quickly pulled out her own sword and rushed at one of the ghosts. They engaged in a fight, and Jen found that the ghost was pretty strong. She suddenly dropped her sword when the ghost knocked it from her hand. She was reaching down to get her sword when the ghost pulled the blade across her upper arm.

"Ow!" Jen yelped, realizing that despite the fact that the ghost wasn't able to touch her, its sword sure could. Angry, Jen snatched up her sword and swung hard at the hilt of the other sword. It was hit with such a hard momentum that it flew down into the ocean. The ghost vanished. Jen gingerly touched the cut on her arm. It burned, and she cursed and moved towards her next opponent. For half an hour, the crew battled the ghost guardians, and finally none were left. Jack hurried over to Jen and kissed her forehead.

"We're docking here for the night, no need for anymore surprises." Jack shouted. The crew, thought exhausted, hurried to obey his orders. They didn't want any more surprises either. Jack pulled Jen down into their room and began to bandage her arm. Jack was winding the bandage around her arm when there was a loud thump overhead. Jen shot forward, nearly smacking into Jack.

"Careful luv, no need to hit me!" Jack teased. Involuntarily, his eyes slid up to the ceiling, and quickly shot back down to rest on Jen's face. Jack had just finished bandaging Jen's arm when there was a shot from overhead.

"Captain! Get up here!" Jack dropped the bandages and thundered up the steps, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, with Jen on his heels. He ran to where the entire crew was assembled, at the front of the ship.

"Do you see it?" Gibbs asked in a hushed whisper. Jack peered into the sky, to see what Gibbs was talking about. Flying in front of them was a black swan, but it was flying lopsided, and it seemed like one wing was hurt.

"S' a bad omen!" One of the crew members hissed. Jack scoffed. He grabbed Jen's hand and pulled her away.

"Stupid superstitious idiots!" Jack scorned. Suddenly, Jen stopped.

"Wait...Jack," She said hesitantly.

"What?" Jack asked, turning around.

"Listen!" Jen implored. Suddenly, Jack heard it. There was some noise coming towards them, floating to them from somewhere in the ocean.

_'Let me out! You can't keep me in here! Please let me out! Someone, anyone! Help me, let me out!' _Jen shivered involuntarily, unable to bear listening to the helpless, pleading voice. As the last frantic tones died down, the crew turned to look at Jack. Jack knew his face was paling dramatically, and began to snap out orders to keep everyone calm.

"Gibbs, pour everyone a large pitcher of rum! Start a fire in one of the empty barrels, Brent. Keep yerselves armed, but someone stay sober and make sure no one cuts themselves." Jack ordered, dragging Jen below deck once more. Once they were in their cabin, Jack bolted the door. Jen stood in the middle of the room, still shivering.

"Jack, we shouldn't be here! We should go away!" Jen said loudly. Jack wrapped his arms around her.

"There's nothing there, Jen. Nothing! It's just a...a figment of yer imagination." Jen glared at Jack.

"Let me guess, it's a group hallucination?" Jen remarked wryly. Jack shrugged helplessly. "Please, Jack, let's just go back then!" Jen pleaded.

"Jen, luv, just go to bed, it'll be better in the morning!" Jack argued. Jen shook her head quickly.

"I don't want to sleep!" She protested. Jack sighed loudly and settled down on the bed.

"C'mere. "He ordered gruffly. Jen sat reluctantly on the bed. Jack opened one arm and motioned to her to rest her head on his shoulder. Jen followed the order, and soon fell asleep. Jack remained awake, staring at the wall, absently rubbing Jen's arm with his thumb. He was glad that she wasn't awake to feel his heart thumping a little too fast.

"I'm gonna kill Will if my son isn't safe in his house."

WILL AND ELIZABETH

"Damn it!" Will snarled, looking out the window in his son's room. Mason had run to him saying L.J was gone, and sure enough, he was gone.

"Jack is going to kill me." Will breathed.

I AM SOOO SORRY THAT IT'S BEEN SO LONG! I've just had a very busy summer, and even now that summer is at it's end, I'm about to get busier, so I apologize if my updates are spaced weirdly.


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